Good cider apple varieties for Eastern Pennsylvania

[WilliamSlayer]

I had a co-worker mention he and his dad are looking at land in Eastern Penn. He's only thinking 6-12 trees, not a full blown orchard.

Can anyone give me 3-4 good varieties he could plant for cider? At least one should be a pollinator that much I know, but I am not from that area, so I don't know the apples that are good growers.

Any help would be great! Thanks!

 

[indolent]

This book would be an excellent read for your co-worker. There are a couple chapters talking about orchards and varietal selection by region that answer this exact question.

 

[MarkKF]

I am far from an expert but I like Northern Spy and it does well in the finger lakes region of NY so you might wanna consider it for ePA.

 

[WilliamSlayer]

Thank you for the replys folks!

MARKKF - is Northern Spy a pollinator ?

 

[MarkKF]

Thank you for the replys folks!

MARKKF - is Northern Spy a pollinator ?

I have no idea

 

[WilliamSlayer]

Checked on Orange Pippin, and found over 30 varieties that cross pollinate with it! Sweet.

 

[WVMJ]

Really depends on what kind of cider they want to make, if they want to make other stuff like applesauce etc, tannic cider, more traditional American styles etc. They may also want to use more disease resistant trees than something like Orange Pippin, or something that doesnt take 10 years to fruit like Northern Spy. Sounds like they are beginners so easier apples probably better way to go. Grimes Golden is a good pollinator and all around good apple for many things. There are so many apples to choose from, they are in a zone 6 or 5, most apples will ripen there just fine. Roxbury Russets, Winesaps, Stayman, Grimes Golden would be a good start. If they wanted to get fancy, Kingstons Black, Dabinette, some crabs like Wicksons, Hewes, and to be even more American Harrisons, Graniwinkles and Campfileds are getting easier to get. If they want cider apple trees they should probably order now or better yet, prepare the ground this summer for their apples and get them this fall, a lot of varieties are already sold out at some nurseries for cider trees. WVMJ

 

[madscientist451]

Checked on Orange Pippin, and found over 30 varieties that cross pollinate with it! Sweet.

If the land is in a low lying area or frost pocket, early budding/flowering trees will not bear fruit in the years when a late frost damages the flowers/buds.
So look for later blooming varieties. I found that later ripening apples make better hard cider as well. Don't forget a fence to keep the deer off the trees.

 

[WilliamSlayer]

Good advice folks thanks as always!

This is a "two years" project apparently. So land purchase this year, with trees to be planted two Springs from now.